Our next generation of bass tournament anglers, the future of bass fishing, wet line their lines in an extra tough derby Feb. 4 in the Atchafalaya Basin.

They caught the Atchafalaya River on a rise, unfortunately. Rising water challenged them on a day that began with frosty weather out of Belle River Landing on the east side of the Spillway. Just 12 five five-bass limits hit the scale after 170 high school two-man teams fished the Louisiana High School B.A.S.S. Nation opener for 2023.

A St. Martinville outdoorsman’s grandson and partner had one of those limits. Matthew Bulliard, the grandson of Danny Bulliard of St. Martinville, and Will Godchaux with the Teurlings Catholic Fishing Team finished highest among Teche Area bass anglers with 9.43 pounds.

The younger Bulliard was oh-so proud of the eighth-place finish after fishing all day with his grandpa and captain. Danny Bulliard, plant manager at Cajun Chef Products, has been captaining the up-and-coming bass angler throughout high school and enjoys every minute of it.

A Branch high schooler who has cashed in in several Lake Fausse Pointe bass tournaments, including the Big Bass Classic, also fared better than others. Travis Meche Jr. and Chance Watson, captained by Travis’ father, Travis Meche Sr., and Chance Watson with Rayne High School weighed five bass that tipped the scale at 8.46 pounds for a solid 11th-place showing.

The tournament’s winners blew the field away. Brusly High School’s Kaden LeBlanc and Jacob Pourciau had the day’s biggest bass, a 6.83-pounder, in their bag of fish that weighed 15.53 pounds. Less than 4 pounds behind the champs was the Livingston Bassmaster team of Jesse Crain and Adam Lea, whose limit weighed 11.86 pounds.

Catholic High School of New Iberia’s Mason Ditch and Dyani Bernard fished hard yet again but were unable to get a keeper to put on the scale in the High School Division. They have been regulars throughout the 2022-23 season with captain Chris Ditch.

An impressive streak of weighing in bass this season came to an end for the CHS Fishing Team’s Hollis Daigle and Vincent Soprano. Daigle and Soprano, captained by Brock Daigle, competed once again in the Junior Division.

The Erath Fishing Club’s Bradley Gravouia/Austin Hebert and Brayden Landry/Branson Word couldn’t get a keeper.

And twin brothers Benjamin Romero and Luke Romero with the Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy and captained by their father, Peter Romero of Coteau, also scratched.

LHSBN’s next stop on the tournament tour is scheduled to be Feb. 18 at Henderson Lake. The 2023 West Qualifier #2 will be held out of Henderson Public Landing.

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Acadiana’s first major bass tournament of the year is fast approaching.

The 17th annual Louisiana Bass Cats Open is scheduled to be held this coming Sunday in Lake Fausse Pointe with launch and weigh-in at Marsh Field Boat Landing.

Entry fee is $100 per boat, plus an optional $10 big bass fee. The Open begins at 6:30 a.m. and check-in is at 4 p.m.

For more information on the Open call Max Stevens at 281-5018. Good luck to all.

DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.